DE 10 2011 086 161 A1 discloses a camshaft with a main shaft, and with a sliding element received on the main shaft in such a way as to be axially displaceable along the shaft axis of the camshaft. The main shaft comprises an external longitudinal spline structure, and the external longitudinal spline structure meshes with an internal spline structure that is introduced into a passage in the sliding element. In this way, the sliding element is axially displaceable on the main shaft in the direction of the shaft axis, and yet the sliding element cannot be rotated on the main shaft, such that torques can be transmitted from the main shaft to the sliding element.
When sliding elements are received on a main shaft provided with an external longitudinal spline structure, the basic problem arises of guiding the sliding element as far as possible without play. In order to ensure that lift information is picked off continuously in a manner free of disturbances from a cam track of the sliding element to a pick-off element, the sliding element must be guided on the main shaft as far as possible without radial play. Guiding the sliding element with minimal play on the main shaft minimizes the axial offset of the sliding element on the main shaft, such that it is desirable for the axial offset to be as small as possible.
To ensure that a guiding of the sliding element on the main shaft is decoupled from the meshing of the external longitudinal spline structure of the main shaft with the internal spline structure in the sliding element, DE 10 2011 086 161 A1 furthermore proposes that guiding portions are provided on the sliding element, by means of which the sliding element is guided on the main shaft so as to minimize the axial offset. The guiding portions on the sliding element in this case run against the tooth tips of the external longitudinal spline structure of the main shaft, as a result of which, however, early wear of the guiding portions may be caused. If cylindrical guiding portions were to be provided on the main shaft, the sliding element could no longer be mounted with the internal spline structure, since the internal spline structure in the passage of the sliding element has a smallest diameter that would be smaller than the cylinder portion for guiding the sliding element on the main shaft. If the guiding portions on the sliding element were to have a smaller diameter and were to sit on a cylinder portion on the main shaft likewise having a smaller diameter, then the sliding element could likewise no longer be mounted, since the external longitudinal spline structure on the main shaft makes it impossible to push on the sliding element with guiding portions of smaller diameter.